The Jokester and the Bookworm
by DarkShadow456
Summary: "As of 3rd May, 2000 there has been a marriage law enacted by the Minister for Magic. The law clearly states that all eligible persons, aged 18-50, are required to marry within a month of this letter." GeorgeXHermione
1. The Letter

Two years after the war, George Weasley was still alone. His brother had been killed during the Battle of Hogwarts, and he'd been devastated. But he picked himself up, and continued the business he and his twin had started, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. He'd thrown himself into the work, and had done very nicely. He now owned Zonko's Joke Shop in Hogsmeade, and a few other joke shops across the country. He worked a lot, running the shop in Diagon Alley himself, along with a few employees.

A workaholic doesn't usually have a steady relationship. He'd had a few, over the past few years, but they were mainly for comfort, or in the woman's case; greed. He'd dumped the greedy ones quickly, not wanting to lose a fortune. Yes, he was a billionaire, but he was frugal. Growing up with a poor family encouraged that. He didn't buy what he didn't need. He did indulge every once in a while, however, but not often.

So when the Marriage Law came around, he had no clue as to who he would marry. He decided to wait, thinking he wouldn't get the letter. But, early one May morning, a Ministry owl tapped on his window. He opened the window, and let the owl in. It hooted impatiently as he unfastened the letter. He stared at it in shock, not noticing the owl's departure. He ripped it open, and began to read.

_Dear Mr George Fabian Weasley, _

_As of 3__rd __May, 2000 there has been a marriage law enacted by the Minister for Magic. The law clearly states that all eligible persons, aged 18-50, are required to marry within a month of this letter. The law has been enacted for the good of our people, and continuing our bloodlines. In recent years, wizard birthrates have been declining, and the rate of Squib births have gone up. We have realized that the Second Wizarding War has depleted the wizarding population in large numbers. We wish to replenish them, so the Wizarding World may continue to grow and flourish. _

_You must be married within a month of this letter. If not, you may be subjected to Azkaban, or a heavy fine. Then you will be paired with a spouse of the Ministry's choosing. Other terms of the Marriage Law are as follows:  
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_1. You must conceive a child within a year of marriage. If a miscarriage or stillborn birth happens, you are given another year. If another miscarriage happens, you will be reassigned to another partner. _

_2. You must conceive a second child within three years of marriage. If there is a miscarriage or stillborn birth, the deadline is extended for one year. _

_4. Divorce is not an option. Magical marriages are binding, and can only be broken in the event that a spouse dies. If the other spouse is still in between the ages of 18-50, they must re-marry. For a second marriage, only one child is required. _

_5. After your two children are born, more are encouraged, but not necessary. _

_If these terms are not met, you will be subjected to Azkaban, re-marriage, and heavy fines, at the discretion of the Wizenagmot.  
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_Good day,_

_Office of Magical Marriages, Births, and Deaths_

_Peter Young_

George sat down heavily in one of the chairs in his kitchen. He'd have to be married in a month, or be thrown in Azkaban. He couldn't believe it. Who the hell would have him? He was missing an ear, though he was still attractive.

His thoughts raced through his brain. He barely made sense of most of them. He immediately began ticking off women he knew. Verity, one of his shop employees? No…she'd just been engaged. Expecting a baby, too, by his reckoning. Katie Bell? No, she'd died in a Quidditch accident a few months ago. Angelina? He smiled happily, then remembered that she was now married to a former Ravenclaw. He sighed, and summoned a bottle of Firewhiskey. He needed the drink as everything was too much for him.

As he drank his small glass of Firewhiskey, (he didn't want to get drunk) he looked around his flat. The flat was located above the shop. He didn't feel the need to live in a mansion, and own a hous elf. It was just him, so why bother? If he got married, he'd expect he'd have to move out, and into a "real" house, especially if he was required to have children.

George knocked back the last drink of his Firewhiskey, when a thought hit him. He knew exactly whom he could marry. Hermione Granger, of course. She'd broken up with Ron around six months after the war ended, mainly because of his immaturity (as far as anyone knew). As far as George knew, she didn't have a boyfriend, or a husband. Ron had gotten married a few months ago to Luna Lovegood (now Weasley), and was expecting a baby with her.

George decided to take a chance, and write her a letter. She'd be affected by the Marriage Law, too. The worst thing she could say was "no", but he knew she probably wouldn't. She had high dreams for herself, and George wouldn't be the one to hold her back. He summoned a quill and a piece of parchment. He began writing his letter.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I know you've heard of the Marriage Law. I heard you protesting about it over dinner a few nights ago, at the Burrow. But now, I've being affected by it, and soon, if not already, you will be affected by it. I want to ask you to be my wife. (Not the most romantic way of proposing, but I can do it again later, if you let me.) I won't hold you back from your dreams of becoming an advocate for House Elves and other beings. I just really need the help. Yes, we'll be married for the rest of our lives, but it shouldn't be too bad. We can sort something out._

_Now, if you could please reply to this letter as soon as you can, I'd appreciate it. If you want, we can talk about this over dinner sometime, perhaps? Just tell me when and where._

_George_

George folded the letter up, and called for his owl, Forge. He sent it off to Hermione's, watching the owl fly until he couldn't see it anymore. His emotions were mixed. Essentially, his life was in her hands.

Hermione Jean Granger was well on her way into a successful career. After completing her N.E.W.T.S. (obtaining all O's) in early 1999, she'd immediately been offered a job with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. She was currently working to obtain better rights for house elves and other "non-humans." It wasn't going very well, since house elves could be very stubborn and determined.

When the Marriage Law had been passed, she'd been furious. Yes, the Wizarding World did need a population boom, but they didn't have to pass a bloody law to do it! There'd been an article in the Prophet a few weeks prior to the Law, stating that birthrates were up. So why the Law passed, she couldn't understand.

But now, here she was, holding her Ministry letter in her hands, attempting not to cry. Her career was going so well, and this had to come and ruin it. She'd have to find a husband, and soon. If she couldn't, many things could happen. The thing she wanted the least was to be married to someone who would just make her pop out child after child, not even caring about her career. She loved her job, and wanted to continue it.

She sighed, and flopped onto her bed in a very un-ladylike manner. She didn't know whom she could possibly marry. Ron was out, since he was already married, but he'd been out for years. She never would have been able to marry him, since he'd wanted so many children, and she didn't. She wanted maybe one or two, and that was it, not a whole Quidditch team. That was one of the main reasons for their breakup.

An owl tapped on her window. She rolled over to face her window, wondering who could possibly want to contact her on a Sunday morning. She didn't work Sundays, so it couldn't be from her work. She suddenly recognized it as George Weasley's owl, Forge. She got up off the bed, and opened the window to let Forge in. It sat on her desk and held its leg out. She unfastened the letter, and began to read. It waited for her, so she knew she was expected to reply. The letter read:

_Dear Hermione,_

_I know you've heard of the Marriage Law. I heard you protesting about it over dinner a few nights ago, at the Burrow. But now, I've being affected by it, and soon, if not already, you will be affected by it. I want to ask you to be my wife. (Not the most romantic way of proposing, but I can do it again later, if you let me.) I won't hold you back from your dreams of becoming an advocate for House Elves and other beings. I just really need the help. Yes, we'll be married for the rest of our lives, but it shouldn't be too bad. We can sort something out._

_Now, if you could please reply to this letter as soon as you can, I'd appreciate it. If you want, we can talk about this over dinner sometime, perhaps? Just tell me when and where._

_George_

Hermione stumbled over to her bed, and sat down. George wanted to marry her? She smiled at his joke about the proposal. He'd rarely joked since Fred's death. She knew he missed Fred a lot. The owl hooted, and she stared at it in shock for a moment. Then she started scrambling for a pen and some parchment. She had to reply to his letter. She went to her desk, and began writing.

_Dear George,_

_Yes, I've been affected. I got my letter this morning. It makes me furious, this law. But I won't discuss that now. I will marry you, since I've got no other options, it seems. Harry's engaged already to Ginny, and Ron's married to Luna. Not that they were options in the first place, of course. I'm so happy you won't hold me back in my career. I was afraid I'd end up with somebody that would. _

_For dinner…how about the Leaky Cauldron at six tonight? No need to reply to this, since we can discuss it over dinner. We've got a lot to discuss, too, I guess. But thank you so much, George. I'll be forever grateful._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

She finished writing her letter, and folded it up. She attached it to the owl; it hooted and flew away. She turned away from her window and went to her closet. It was still early, but she had to decide what to wear to dinner with George.

George waited anxiously for her reply. When he spotted Forge flying towards his flat, his heart stopped. She'd replied promptly, for which he was grateful. He didn't know if he could have stood waiting for hours upon hours.

He read her reply quickly, and then started petting Forge. He whispered to Forge, "Thanks so much, buddy. I've now got a date with Hermione. Well, not exactly a date."

George fed Forge, then decided to go back to sleep. He was tired, plus the whiskey he'd drank also tired him. He knew it had been too early to drink, but he didn't care. They had potions for hangovers.

He fell asleep, thinking about his meeting with Hermione. He'd be seeing her in eight hours. He slept soundly for a while, his dreams full of Hermione and red-haired children running around.

**AN: I'll try to update this as often as I can. I've also got this up on , too. Could I maybe get 2 review for this, please? Thanks!**


	2. The Meeting

George got out of bed at twelve, feeling much better. He decided to go to the shop for a few hours, to restock the shelves, and to clear his mind. He remembered his dreams of Hermione, and their red-haired children. He sighed and changed his clothing. He then apparated down to the shop, ready to start working.

He startled Verity, who jumped and knocked over her display of Skiving Snackboxes. She halfheartedly glared at him, smiling. She waved her wand, and the boxes went back to their previous state. He looked at her for a moment, and said, "Hey Verity. It's Sunday, you're not supposed to be here, are you?"

She nodded, and replied, "Yes, but I thought I'd just get it done now. I was bored, so I came here. I can leave, if you want me to. And you're here, too, if I may say."

George shook his head. "Nah, you can stay. And I'm here, mainly to clear my head. I…I got my letter today. I'm probably going to be marrying Hermione Granger."

Verity smiled at him. "She'll be good for you, I think. You've been so lonely. I'd have snatched you up myself, but I've got my boyfriend. Well…husband to be, actually."

George nodded, congratulated her, then went into the back room. He began taking inventory, and organizing the back shelves. He decided to bring some new products into the store, to see if they sold. Verity helped him, and left shortly after four o'clock.

George's stomach was rumbling, so he went back up to his flat to grab a snack. He still had two hours until his meeting with Hermione. He was looking forward to it, to be honest. He hadn't been with anyone in over a year, and he missed having a woman around. Sure, he had his sister and sisters-in-law, but that was different than a girlfriend or wife.

He ate his snack quickly, then decided to go shower. He took a long one, reveling in the hot water. He got dressed, wearing a pair of black trousers and a dark blue, dressy shirt. He combed his hair back and brushed his teeth. He decided he looked okay, as he smoothed his hair over his ear. The ear he'd lost was now just a hole in his head. He'd become self-conscious about it recently. He decided he'd have to look into getting a "fake" ear.

At five-forty, George left his flat and headed down Diagon Alley to meet Hermione at the Leaky Cauldron. He walked quickly, wanting to be there when she got there. He went in, and got a table in the corner. He ordered two butterbeers, knowing Hermione liked butterbeer. He settled in, waiting for her.

Hermione finally settled on a halter-style red dress. She hung it on the door to her closet, and set out a pair of silver Gladiator sandals. She surveyed her outfit, and deemed it presentable. It was a little dressy, but she did want to impress George.

For the next few hours, Hermione settled down with a book. Sometimes, when she was upset, a good book could calm her down. She wasn't that upset, but she couldn't stop thinking about George, and the dinner. She concentrated on her book, losing herself in the world created by it.

At three o'clock, Hermione decided to take a bath. She put some bath salts in. One would allow her skin to not get pruny. She got in, and laid in it for about an hour. Then she got out, and shaved. She vanished the shave cream from her legs, and dried herself off. She slipped on her undergarments, which weren't anything special, and then her dress. She stood in front of her mirror, and twirled. She looked quite pretty.

She glanced up at the clock. It was nearing four-thirty, so she needed to hurry. Her hair and make-up would take an hour, at the least. She wrestled with her hair for nearly an hour, then put on her make-up. She went back into the bedroom, and looked at herself. Her hair fell in soft waves, and half of it was up. Her make-up was light, since she didn't like it when women put on globs of make-up.

She grabbed her purse and put on her shoes. She grabbed a light jacket, too, and left her apartment. She apparated to Diagon Alley, then walked to the Leaky Cauldron quickly. She was about five minutes late, and she hoped George wouldn't mind.

George looked up as a woman in a red dress approached him. He looked at her face and realized it was Hermione. He smiled brightly, and stood. She nodded to him, and they sat down. She thanked him for the butterbeer.

They sat in an awkward silence for a few moments, before George spoke. "Well, Hermione…I just want to thank you for agreeing. And, you look beautiful."

"It was no problem, George. I was in the same situation. And thanks for the compliment," she replied, blushing slightly. "But we've got to talk. I'm sure money's not a problem. I've heard about the shop's success."

George nodded. "Yeah, we're set for the rest of our lives. We won't have to worry about money, since I try my best to take care of it so well. I don't spend much. If I do, it's mainly because of the store. Even then, I question it for a while. Guess it has to do with how I was raised. Now, what about where we're going to live?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Well, my flat's not nearly big enough to hold both of us, much less future children. I guess we'll have to move into yours…How big is yours?"

"Oh, it's got three bedrooms, a bath, a kitchen and a living room. Fred used to stay in the second bedroom, and we used the third one for storage," George said, his voice quiet. He felt a pang of sadness when he mentioned Fred.

Hermione patted his hand. "I know you miss him. And your flat sounds lovely. I'll move in when we're married, and in the mean time, I'll be packing up my flat."

"Speaking of married, when do you want it to be? We've got until June 9th," George reminded her. "I was thinking perhaps the 23rd of May? I know it's only two weeks, but I think we can get it done."

She looked at him for a moment, thinking. "Oh yes, that'll work. I just want a small affair. Perhaps we could just get married at the Marriage Office, and then throw a party at the Burrow, or something? I was never one for a big fairytale wedding. "

"Sounds good," he agreed. It was set. He'd be married in two weeks, and strangely, he didn't feel nervous. "And…. about the children…"

"What about them?" she asked simply. She started looking over her menu, waiting for his reply.

He sat there for a moment, staring at his own menu, but not reading it. "Uhm, we'll have to be…intimate. We're supposed to either be pregnant or have a child by the time our first anniversary rolls around."

She looked up at him. "I know. But I think we can wait until later, after we get to know each other more. Of course, if we're not at that level, we could always take a lust potion, or get drunk. If it came to that, I'd do it. But I don't think we'll have any problems with it, to be honest."

He nodded. "Yes…that could work. I hope we don't have to resort to that…Now, we should order something to eat. I'm quite hungry."

They studied their menus for a few minutes. George decided to order some fish and chips, and Hermione ordered a sandwich. The food came quickly, and they began eating quietly. After they finished, George asked, "Hermione, want to come back to my flat for a glass of wine? I don't think we have anything else to talk about the marriage, but we could get to know each other better, perhaps."

Hermione agreed. She protested when he paid the bill, but he told her that he didn't mind. After all, they were to be married, and have access to each other's funds. He trusted her, knowing she wouldn't go off with his money.

George walked with her to his flat, her arm in his. They arrived, and he directed her to the living room as he poured two glasses of wine. He heard the fireplace roar as he walked into the room. Hermione had started a fire. She glanced at him and blushed, saying, "I hope you don't mind."

He grinned at her. "I don't mind at all. It's fine."

They sat on the couch together, talking about politics, their impending marriage, and some other trivial things. He still didn't know the little things about her, but he vowed to himself to ask her when he saw her next. They had set another date to see each other for Wednesday night, since Hermione got off work early. George saw her to the door, thanking her again. They said their goodbyes, and he pecked her on the cheek. She blushed, and apparated away.

He closed the door and smiled. He didn't exactly mind a marriage to Hermione any more. She was an amazing woman, he figured out. He stripped out of his clothes, and fell into his bed, exhausted again. He dreamed about their date, and future dates, also.

Hermione apparated back to her flat, and when she did, she pressed her hand to her cheek where George had kissed her. She blushed again. She was beginning to like him, and their "date" had gone quite well. She couldn't wait to see him again on Wednesday. She wondered if Mrs Weasley knew…Probably not, since Hermione probably would have gotten a letter from her if she had.

Hermione shimmied out of her dress, and into her pajamas. She fell into bed, tired out from talking, the wine, and getting up early. She had a pleasant dream about George, which involved them walking together on a beach.

**AN: Wow...I'm shocked by how many review/favorites I got within a few hours. Thanks everyone! Can we shoot for maybe 3 review this time? Thanks! **


	3. Getting to Know Each Other

**AN: Well, I've gotten quite a few reviews/alerts/favorites in just a few hours. I meant to add this to the last chapter, but it wouldn't let me. Thank you all for reviewing! And a review caught my attention, and I think I need to respond.**

**Johnnie W- I don't think their relationship is going too fast, since they already knew each other before. Hermione is beginning to like him, but more as a friend for right now. **

Molly Weasley was a happy woman when she found out her son, George, was getting married. That involved grandbabies, and everyone knew she wanted a lot of them. Not just from George, but from all of her children, of course. The Marriage Law had helped with that considerably. By her reckoning, she'd have _twelve _grandchildren in just four years. Maybe more, if some had twins (it ran in the family) or more after the required two. So yes, she was a very happy woman.

George regretted telling his mother about his engagement so early. He probably should have just gotten married, and then told her. But he knew that wouldn't be very nice, and she'd be heartbroken. He did, however, ask her very politely to not keep bringing it up. She'd asked if she could help plan it, but he'd said he'd have to take that up with Hermione.

He'd escaped the Burrow, since he didn't want to be continuously questioned by her. She loved all her children, but most knew she could go overboard sometimes. George went back to his flat, and had dinner by himself. He'd worked that day very hard that day, and was exhausted. He fell into bed after clearing up his dinner dishes.

Tuesday morning dawned bright and early. His alarm clock squawked at him until he woke up and shut it off. He got up, got dressed, and went to work. He worked much later than usual, then headed to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. He met up with Charlie, who was home for all the weddings. He'd also be getting married, too. He'd met an American witch in Romania, who was in the same line of work. They'd set their wedding to be a few days after George and Hermione's, on the 27th of May.

"Hello, Georgie," Charlie greeted him as he sat down. Two Firewhiskeys sat in front of him. George cocked an eyebrow at Charlie as Charlie pushed one over to him. "Oh, and this is yours. I thought, since we're getting married in about two weeks, that it was appropriate."

George grinned. "Thanks, Charlie. I appreciate it. I've had a long day at work….and I've got a date, you could call it, with Hermione tomorrow. She's coming over to my flat so we can get to know each other. All I know about her is that she loves books, and works at the Ministry."

Charlie laughed. "S.P.E.W. work?"

George glanced at him, taking a swig of his Firewhiskey. "You've heard of that?"

"Yeah, she was telling me about it a few years ago. She was so energetic about it. Too bad house elves don't really want to be paid, and to be free," Charlie replied. "And we should order some dinner. It's getting late."

George nodded and looked down at his menu. He decided to order some steak and kidney pie, while Charlie decided to have shepherd's pie. The waiter came, and they ordered. Ten minutes later, the food came, and they ate quietly. George was just too hungry to carry on a conversation.

They finished their dinners, when Charlie said, "So, how do you feel about marrying your baby brother's best mate?"

George gave him a look. "I don't think they're best mates anymore…Not after breaking up."

"Fine then, ex-best mate. Now answer the question," Charlie replied, smiling a little.

"Well…I dunno. She's nice. Headstrong, too. We talked on Sunday for a while, at my flat. Also went to dinner here, too. I gave her a kiss on the cheek before she left, but it wasn't really the romantic type," he answered slowly.

"Ah, then. Well, Dani's pretty amazing," Charlie said, referring to his fiancé. "We went to America to visit her parents, and they loved me. It was the accent, I think. I don't think the Marriage Law is very fair, but we've got to go along with it. I got to fall in love, then decide to marry her, not marry her, then fall in love. Pretty screwed up, if you ask me."

"Mhm," George agreed. "Oh well. We'll just have to make the best of it. She's happy, I think. She didn't want to be held back in her career, and I won't do that to her."

Charlie nodded. "Well, I'd best be going. Dani's waiting for me."

They said their goodbyes, and went their separate ways. George went back to his flat, and took a shower. He went to bed, hoping tomorrow would go quickly. He had the day off, so he could clean his flat, and cook dinner. It seemed as if the day was going to go slowly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

George woke the next morning later than he'd wanted to. He scrambled out of bed at noon, and quickly began cleaning his flat. Hermione was coming over at five, and he still had to clean and cook. He swore when he realized he'd forgotten to set his alarm.

It took George nearly two hours to clean the flat. He'd done his laundry, too, along with re-arranging some things. He deemed his flat presentable, then rushed to his bedroom to change into a pair of clean robes. He still needed to get to the grocer's to cook dinner. He'd decided to make chicken, one of the meals his mum had taught him to cook.

He was in a slightly panicky mood. He rushed through buying the food, then apparated back home. He began the chicken, and other food preparations. It was now four o'clock, and he wasn't nearly done. While the chicken cooked, he ran to his bedroom, and changed into a nicer pair of clothing. He put on a pair of dark jeans, and a button up shirt.

He went back into the kitchen, and began making the dessert. He'd decided to make a chocolate cake, since he figured she'd like that. Didn't most women like chocolate? He made it, and put it in the oven, and pulled out the chicken. It was done, and he put some spells over it, to make it stay warm until she arrived. Hermione should be there in just a half hour, and he felt a little excited.

George went through some paperwork for the shop while he waited for her to arrive. A tentative knock on the door at five minutes to five startled him. He looked up and realized it would be Hermione. He flicked his wand, and the papers he'd been working on went to his desk. He went over to the door and opened it.

She looked quite pretty. She was wearing a red halter top, and a pair of dark jeans, with a pair of flats. He grinned at her and said, "You love red, don't you?"

She nodded, and he let her in. She stood awkwardly in the entrance, and he directed her into the living room. She sat on the couch, and he sat across from her, in a chair. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

The silence was much too awkward for him. "So…how are you, Hermione?"

"I'm good," she replied politely. "Work was hard the last few days, but that's okay. I love challenges."

"Oh," he said. "I worked too. Business is booming, you could say. I went out with Charlie for dinner last night, too. Did you know he's marrying an American witch named Dani?"

"Yeah," she answered. "She came over to the Burrow a few nights ago when I was there. She's nice. She and Charlie seem to be made for each other."

George nodded. "Well, dinner's almost ready. We can eat the main part. Desserts not quite done yet. I hope you like chicken, by the way."

She got up and followed him into the kitchen, saying, "I love chicken. And you made this all by yourself?"

He nodded as she sat down, staring at him in shock. "It's not that amazing. Mum taught me how to make it. She didn't want me to starve, apparently."

He got their plates ready, and brought it over to the table. He poured them both some water, and they began to eat. Hermione looked up a few minutes into their meal. "This is amazing, George."

He smiled. "Thanks Hermione. I've got chocolate cake for later on, too. It's still in the oven, though."

She beamed. "I _love _chocolate cake!"

They finished their meal, and George cut them both a slice of cake. They went into the living room to eat it. They sat on the couch, next to each other.

Hermione took a bite, and groaned happily. "Are you sure your mum didn't make it? It tastes exactly like hers."

"Nope," he said, taking a bite. He chewed and swallowed before answering. (Not doing so would have been rude. Mum would have been appalled.) "I made it myself. Mum made sure all her boys could cook something. She wouldn't want them to starve, of course."

"Ah, so…you asked if I liked red, earlier. It's my favorite color. What's yours?" she asked.

"Hm. Hard question…but I'd have to say mine is dark blue. Goes with my hair, usually," George grinned. "Hmmm, hobbies?"

She looked at him. "I'm a bookworm, George. What do you think?"

He laughed. "Well, that answers the question. My hobby is making joke products and Quidditch. That's pretty much it."

"I see. You're pretty good at making the joke products, too. And, I knew you loved Quidditch. Who in your family doesn't?" Hermione said, giggling.

"Mum, actually. She thinks we're going to kill ourselves. Why don't you like Quidditch?" George wondered.

She stopped giggling. "I fell off my broom in first year, and again during that summer. I hated the class for flying. I was so scared during them. Thankfully, we didn't go very high up, but still. I like Quidditch, just not flying. I can watch the sport, just not listen to someone drone on and on about it for hours."

"Like Ron and Harry?" George quipped, his eyes sparkling.

"Exactly," she agreed. "Hm…oh, I've got a question. What's your favorite animal?"

"Hmmm…to be honest, I don't have a favorite animal. What's yours?" George answered.

"I like cats. Oh! That reminds me…You wouldn't mind if if Crookshanks moved in with us, do you?" Hermione asked quickly. She hoped Crooks could come live with them. She loved him, and didn't know if she could bear being without him.

George thought for a minute, then agreed. "That's fine, I think. He's a good cat. I remember when we were playing chess once, and he kept attacking the chess pieces. It was quite funny, actually."

Hermione beamed at him, and gave him a hug. "Thank you George! I love Crooks, and would have been heartbroken if I couldn't have had him with me."

"You're welcome," George said. "Another question….Do you like children? Since we'll be having two of them, at the least."

She thought for a few minutes, not saying anything. Then she spoke. "I like them, but I didn't want a whole bunch. I used to babysit for a couple my family lived next to. The little girl was so adorable. I really want a girl, though. A boy too, but I don't really care, though. As long as the baby's healthy."

"If we have a boy, can we name him Fred?" George wondered quietly. "It would mean a lot to me."

"Sure," Hermione answered, patting his hand. "I wouldn't mind. And I know you loved Fred a lot. He was your brother."

He smiled. "Thanks. And I love kids. Fred and I were so happy when Gin was born. Ron…well he was another brother. We didn't really care about him. But Ginny…she was great. We hadn't had girls born into our family in a long time."

"It'd be interesting, growing up with a ton of brothers," Hermione laughed.

George smirked. "Yep. We're a little overprotective of her, and sometimes she hates that, but she'd gotten used to it, mostly."

"I've noticed," Hermione said dryly. "I remember when she started dating Harry. You gave him 'the talk'. He was so pale when that was over. What'd you do to him?"

"Sorry, that's classified, Mione," George replied, smirking again. "And wow…is it already eight?"

Hermione glanced at the clock and jumped. "Oh my gosh! It is. I'm really sorry, George, but I've got to go. I have to be to work really early tomorrow, and I need to get to bed. Thanks so much for dinner. I had a great time tonight, too."

George stood up and offered his hand to her. She grabbed it, and he pulled her up. "I had a good time with you, too. We should probably get together this weekend, to plan the party. Mum'll have to be with us. She wants to help plan the party. I think we should just have Harry and Ginny witness our wedding, if you want, then have the party."

Hermione processed his words, and then nodded. "Harry and Ginny are fine. I'll ask them. And this weekend sounds fine. How about Saturday night at the Leaky Cauldron, let's say, around five again? Your mum can come, too. I'll be happy to have her help."

George walked her to the door, saying, "Sounds good. See you soon."

Hermione walked out the door and apparated away. George grabbed their plates off the coffee table, and went into the kitchen. He began cleaning up, which took him a while. Then he finished his paperwork, and went to bed, satisfied with his day. The "date" with Hermione had gone well. At least they didn't hate each other. He remembered he still needed to get an engagement ring for her.

**AN: Well…I'm sorry if this one sucks, but I tried my best. :) How about three reviews for this chapter? Thanks! **


	4. Plans

The next two days passed quickly, and it was finally Friday. He had one day until he had to be at the Leaky Cauldron with his mum, to help his bride-to-be plan his wedding…..He still hadn't even gotten her an engagement ring, to boot!.

So now, that was the reason he was sitting in Twilfitt and Tatting's Jewellry, looking at wedding ring sets. He'd found one with a ruby, knowing she liked red. He bought the set, and the paperwork was going through at that very moment. It had cost him around 2,000 Galleons for wedding bands for both of them, and an engagement ring for her. He hoped she'd like it.

He left the shop, satisfied.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was Friday afternoon, and Hermione was finally off of work. She let herself into her apartment, and collapsed on her sofa, kicking off her sensible pumps. Her day had been hard. She was working on getting better rights for house elves, but it didn't seem to be going very well. She didn't want to give up entirely, but it wasn't looking too good.

She sighed, got up, and padded into the kitchen. It was late; almost nine o'clock. She made herself a small snack, not wanting to eat a big meal right before bed. She went back into the living room, and watched telly until around ten-thirty. Then she fell into her bed, exhausted.

She got up the next morning fairly late. She'd needed the sleep, since she'd been working so hard. Plus, she wanted to be wide-awake and alert for her meeting with George and his mum. She loved Mrs Weasley, and was very happy that she was willing to help. Hermione wished her own mum could help, but since she was a Muggle, planning a wizarding ceremony would be very hard for her.

The day passed quickly. She read a few books to pass the time quicker. She did a few bills, and wrote a letter to her landlord, informing him she would be moving out in a few weeks. Then her thoughts drifted to her wedding. They'd be getting married at the Marriage Office at the Ministry, which didn't bother her at all. Growing up, she'd never been one to dream about fairy-tale weddings. She knew that fairy tales didn't happen in real life, so what was the point of dreaming about them?

At four fifty, she apparated to Diagon Alley, and went to the Leaky Cauldron. She went in and asked for a table, noticing that George wasn't there yet. She ordered three pumpkin juices for them, and then settled down to wait.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

George fell into bed late, around one a.m. He had a ton of paperwork and bills to go through, mainly pertaining to the shop. He didn't have time eat dinner, so when he awoke the next morning, he was starving. He walked into his kitchen and fixed himself some breakfast. Well, it was more of a lunch than breakfast, considering the time. It was almost two in the afternoon; he was shocked to find out. He hadn't thought he'd sleep for so long.

George went to the shop after showering and getting ready for the day. He worked for a few hours, and then went home to change. When he looked presentable, he left his flat and walked to the Leaky Cauldron, meeting up with his mum in front of the entrance. She hugged him, and they walked in.

Hermione was already waiting for them. They went over to her, and he sat down. Mum, of course, had to give her a crushing hug first. Then she also sat down, and Hermione pushed two of the pumpkin juices over to them. George smiled in thanks.

Mum got right down to business. "Well then, we've got a party to plan. I guess we should start with who's invited. Who would you like to come, Hermione?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Hm…well, my parents, of course. And I guess I don't have anyone else, since I'm pretty sure George will be inviting them. What about you, George?"

"The family, of course, and Harry. Charlie's fiancé, but I guess she counts as family….Um, Teddy and Andromeda, too. I think that's it, though," George answered. "We kind of want it to be a small affair."

"What about Ron?" Hermione asked quietly, looking at Mrs Weasley.

She nodded her head, and patted Hermione's hand. "My dear, Ron doesn't mind. He's married and expecting a child. I'm pretty sure he's gotten over you. He only talks of you as a friend, now. He's quite happy."

Hermione smiled. "I'm happy he is. Luna probably won't mind a bunch of children."

"Probably not," Mrs Weasley replied, beaming. She couldn't wait for more grandchildren. She was happy that Hermione would be joining the family. She'd hoped Ron would marry her, but when they broke up, she'd felt sad. Hermione was just her child as any of her biological children. She continued on, "Now we've got invites out of the way. What would you like for decorations? Anything special, perhaps a theme?"

George and Hermione looked at each other. George shrugged helplessly, since he didn't know much about planning parties. Hermione answered for them, "No, no. We'll just have a party, nothing special. I can pick up a cake from a Muggle bakery that has the best cakes I've ever eaten. Mrs Weasley, you wouldn't mind making the food, would you?"

Mrs Weasley smiled, "I would love that! I'd feel honoured to bake for you, dear. Should I do turkey, perhaps? Or would you like something else?"

Hermione glanced at George. "Turkey's fine. I can come over to help plan the other things to go with it."

"I don't need any help, Hermione," Mrs Weasley answered. "Is there anything else we haven't gone over?"

George shook his head, smiling. "Not that I know, Mum. We've got invites, food, and decorations down…..That's it, I guess. Oh, and we've got the cake, too. So yeah…Hermione and I will take care of invites, and you the food. Thanks so much, Mum."

Hermione chimed in, "Yes, thank you Mrs. Weasley. We really appreciate the help."

Mrs Weasley's eyes brimmed with tears. "Hermione, you can call me Molly, now. You are to be my daughter, after all."

"Alright then, Molly," Hermione smiled, patting her hand. "Now, should we order dinner? I'm quite hungry."

They ordered, and chatted while waiting for their food. Molly left shortly after six, needing to feed the others, too. Hermione and George ordered some wine, and talked. George apparated Hermione to her home, and kissed her on the cheek. She smiled, and he knelt down. She grinned even more broadly.

He began, "Hermione Granger….we're being forced to be married by a stupid law, but I thought you'd like an actual proposal…even if this one is a little odd. Anyway, I'm rambling again. Hermione, will you marry me?"

She giggled, "Yes of course! I don't really have any choice, though."

He slipped the ring on her finger, and stood up, smiling. He kissed her on the lips softly, reveling in her soft lips. They kissed for a few seconds, and then he broke it off. She smiled up at him, then they said their goodbyes. She went in, and he apparated away, making sure no one was looking, first.

He let himself into his flat, wondering why he'd kissed her. Probably because he'd just proposed, perhaps? He shrugged. It'd seemed fitting, and she didn't mind. He went to bed, happy.

**AN: Thanks for reading! Sorry it's not very long, but it's still a chapter! Next up is the wedding.**

**And...thanks for all of your review/favorites/alerts. I love having feedback about my work. Could I get maybe 4 reviews this time, please? Thanks!  
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	5. The Marriage and the Party

The last two weeks had seemed as if they'd flown by. It was now the afternoon of May 23rd, 2000. The whole Weasley family had been getting ready for the George and Hermione's wedding. Charlie's own wedding would be a little later, to his fiancé Dani. There had been food to prepare, tents to assemble, and chairs to set up for the guests. They'd be having a party after George and Hermione came back from the Marriage Office.

Hermione had gone dress shopping with Ginny to help her pick out a dress. She'd settled on a knee length simple white dress. It wasn't much, but she didn't mind. It had some designs, but it wasn't over the top.

Hermione quickly got into her dress and did her makeup with Ginny's help. George was already ready she knew, from what Ginny had told her. He was all set. Their marriage was scheduled for three in the afternoon, and it was now almost two thirty. They had to leave the house in a few minutes and get to the Ministry quickly.

Ginny finished doing the makeup job, then held a mirror up for Hermione to see herself. Hermione smiled and looked over to Ginny. "Gin….thanks so much!" she squealed and hugged her best friend tightly.

Ginny nodded and smiled. "He'll think you look great, don't worry. Now come on, you've got to go." Ginny took her hand and shoved her out the door. Hermione walked down the stairs and into the kitchen nervously. She saw George sitting at the kitchen table, with no one else was in the room. He was wearing a pair of nice, black dress robes, and had fixed his hair neatly. She cleared her throat and he looked up. He looked at her for a few minutes, his jaw hanging open.

She giggled, and he shut his mouth. He stuttered a minute. "Her…Hermione, you look-you look beautiful."

"Thanks," she replied shyly. "It's nothing much, but I thought it would do."

George shook his head. "Don't worry, it's a nice dress. You look great in it. Now, we must go now. We have to be there a little early." He offered his arm to her, and she took it. George then apparated them to the Ministry's entrance. They walked inside, and headed for the Marriage Office.

George sat down in the waiting room when Hermione whispered to him she'd go check them in. She went up to the desk, and told the woman they were there to get married. She nodded, and told them to wait to take a seat. Hermione sat down by George, and looked around the room. A few other couples were there, too, but Hermione didn't recognize anyone.

About ten minutes later, they were called into a small room. It was nice, with chairs in the room, and an arch at the front. A man in robes waited for them. The man smiled at them and said, "George and soon to be Hermione Weasley?"

They nodded, and the man motioned for them to stand under the arch. The ceremony began, but Hermione barely paid attention. She'd already read about it, and it was quite boring. They were bound to each other, and she felt a tingle of magic. The man called for them to kiss. She waited nervously for George to make the first move. He gently kissed her, breaking it off quickly. He must have been nervous too. She squeezed his hand and smiled at him reassuringly.

They were told to go into another room to fill out some paperwork. Hermione headed to the room, George's hand in hers. They filled out the paperwork together, then headed back to the Burrow.

Everyone was already there, waiting for them. They couldn't have dinner until Hermione and George showed up. By the time they showed up, it was nearing five o'clock. Hermione and George greeted the guests, apologizing for being late. All of them didn't mind at all.

Dinner was fantasitic, Hermione and George had agreed. Molly Weasley had once again out done herself. After everyone had finished eating, the floor was cleared, and the music was turned up. A slow song was put on, and George and Hermione danced the first dance. Hermione felt wonderful in George's arms. She began thinking that it wouldn't be so bad after all, not with him and his family to be there for her.

The song ended, and a bunch of people came out onto the dance floor. Ginny and Harry danced, while Hermione danced with Charlie. George danced with Dani. After a few songs, they switched back.

George grinned at her as a slow song came on. Hermione laid her head on his shoulder and he whispered, "Are you having fun?"

She smiled and whispered back, "Of course. Now shut up and just dance with me."

He chuckled. They then proceeded to dance a few more songs. Finally, it was nearing eleven and Hermione was exhausted. They said their goodbyes, then apparated to George's flat. Hermione looked over to George and said, "I've already got my clothes here, so I'll just change in the bathroom."

George nodded, and she left to go change. He changed in the bedroom, then slipped into the bed. They'd decided to share one, since they'd have to anyway. Hermione didn't really like the idea of separate bedrooms, and he agreed. He called out, telling her he was decent. She came out a few minutes later, wearing a T-shirt and a pair of short shorts. She crawled into bed next to him and faced him. She smiled and said, "I had fun today."

He smiled too. "Same here."

She fell silent, then drifted off to sleep a while later. George watched her sleep, thinking about how pretty she was. He fell asleep soon after, thinking about his new life.

They woke up the next morning tangled in each other's arms. Hermione blushed while George grinned. He excused himself and went to use the bathroom. Hermione laid in bed, waiting for him to come back. He did, and laid back down. He looked over at her and said, "So…lazy day or what? I wouldn't mind a few extra hours of sleep…I'm so tired, and it's only eight."

Hermione thought for a few moments. "Sure, some more sleep sounds good. We can get up at ten."

He nodded and pulled her close. She blushed madly, but he ignored it. If she wanted to get away, she could. She didn't, however, and snuggled closer. They fell asleep, content.

**AN: Sorry it's so short…but at least it's another chapter! Thank you for all the reviews, guys! I really appreciate it. And could I maybe get 5 reviews for this chapter? Thanks!**


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